Opera is one of the best cakes I have ever made, one that has a huge success at every class I make it. I have tried a lot of other variations, some were delicious, some I wished were never made. This Berry Opera however, belongs to the first kind – delicious, vibrant, fresh! It’s a great mix of vanilla French buttercream, almond sponge cake and a raspberry marmalade that brings everything together perfectly. The decor consists of a crunchy layer of streusel with just a few final touches of fresh raspberries. That is all! It is really all it needs to be honest. In pastry, most of the times, less is more!
The key to this dessert is making each layer thin and yet consistent. The sponge cake has to be well spread and baked to perfection without drying out too much. Then there comes the silkiest buttercream ever made – vanilla French buttercream made with egg yolks and a hot sugar syrup, mixed until thick and fluffy which is then mixed with the most delicious butter. Vanilla is added at the end to bring it all to the next level. But what makes this cake shine is definitely the raspberry marmalade layer which is so vibrant and fresh that it could shine on its own!
- 135g almond flour
- 45g white sugar A
- 225g whole eggs
- 45g all-purpose flour
- 135g egg whites
- 90g white sugar B
- 50g butter, melted
- 75g water
- 55g white sugar
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 225g raspberry puree (seedless)
- 1g pink pepper, crushed
- 55g glucose syrup
- 15g white sugar
- 5g pectin NH
- 5g gelatin + 20g cold water
- 80g egg yolks
- 150g white sugar + 55g water
- 300g butter, softened
- 5g vanilla extract
- 30g butter, chilled and cubed
- 65g all-purpose flour
- 20g powdered sugar
- 15g almond flour
- Red food coloring
- Combine the almond flour, white sugar A and eggs in a bowl and mix until double in volume.
- Mix the egg whites in another bowl until fluffy then add the sugar B and whip until stiff and shiny.
- Fold the meringue into the almond flour base, alternating it with the white flour.
- Mix the butter with 2 tablespoons of batter then pour in the large bowl. Mix gently until well combined.
- Split the batter into 3 equal portions then spread each portion into a 35x25cm sheet on baking paper.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 170C for 8-10 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
- Bake the three sheets and allow to cool down.
- Boil the sugar and water.
- Add the lemon zest and infuse for 5 minutes then strain.
- Chill.
- Bloom the gelatin in water.
- Mix the sugar and pectin.
- Combine the puree, pink pepper and glucose in a pot. Warm to 40C then add the pectin mixture.
- Cook for 2 minutes then take off the heat and add the gelatin.
- Mix well then allow to cool down.
- Whip the egg yolks until pale.
- In the meantime, make a sugar syrup by boiling the water and sugar. When the syrup reaches 118C, pour it in a steady stream over the egg yolks.
- Continue whipping until stiff and fluffy.
- Add the butter, all at once, and the vanilla and mix very well until smooth.
- Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until sandy.
- Spread in a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven at 170C for 12-15 minutes.
- Allow to cool down then break into small pieces.
- Place one sheet of Joconde on a cake board. Brush the sponge cake with lemon syrup.
- Spread ½ of the buttercream on top then place another sheet of Joconde, followed by a layer of syrup.
- Spread the raspberry marmalade on top then arrange the final sheet of Joconde plus syrup. Next one is a layer of vanilla buttercream.
- Place in the fridge for 20 minutes then level the sides of the cake and cut it in half. Layer the two halves on top of each other to obtain a taller cake.
- Top with streusel then place in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
- Cut into smaller pieces (12x3cm in my case) and finish with fresh raspberries.
ROMANIAN
Opera este printre preferatele noastre, nu incape indoiala! Si desi traditional se face cu ciocolata neagra si cafea, recunosc ca am incercat de-a lungul timpului tot felul de variante, unele nu tocmai gustoase, altele, ca in cazul de fata, delicioase! Continuam asadar seria prajiturilor #CraciunulMeritaLurpak cu o reteta de Opera cu zmeura si piper roz, ingredientul de care m-am indragostit de curand si pe care parca l-as folosi in toate prajiturile. E asa fructat, asa aromat! Si se combina atat de bine cu fructele rosii, cu vanilia, cu ciocolata neagra, cu busuiocul. Si sunt sigura ca lista poate continua, ramane doar sa le descopar!
- 135g faina de migdale
- 45g zahar alb B
- 225g oua intregi
- 45g faina alba
- 135g albusuri
- 90g zahar alb B
- 50g unt, topit
- 75g apa
- 55g zahar alb
- Coaja de la 1 lamaie
- 225g piure de zmeura, fara samburi
- 1g piper roz, tocat fin
- 55g glucoza lichida
- 15g zahar alb
- 5g pectina NH
- 5g gelatina + 25g apa rece
- 80g galbenus
- 150g zahar alb+ 55g apa
- 300g unt, temperatura camerei
- 5g extract de vanilie
- 30g unt rece, cuburi
- 65g faina alba
- 20g zahar pudra
- 15g faina de migdale
- Colorant rosu
- Amestecati faina de migdale, zaharul alb A si ouale intr-un bol si mixati pana isi dubleaza volumul.
- Mixati albusuri pana devin spumoase, apoi adaugati zaharul B si mixati sa obtineti o bezea ferma si lucioasa.
- Incorporati bezeaua in baza de faina de migdale, alternand-o cu faina alba.
- Amestecati putin aluat cu untul topit apoi incorporati amestecul in bolul mare. Amestecati usor.
- Impartiti aluatul in 3 parti egale. Intindeti in strat subtire intr-o foaie de 35x25. Folositi hartie de copt pentru a usura coptul.
- Coaceti la 170C pentru 8-10 minute sau pana incepe sa devina usor auriu.
- Dati in clocot apa si zaharul.
- Adaugati coaja de lamaie si dati deoparte sa infuzeze 5 minute.
- Raciti inainte de folosire.
- Hidratati gelatina in apa rece.
- Amestecati zaharul si pectina.
- Combinati piureul, piperul roz si glucoza intr-un vas. Incalziti la 40C apoi adaugati pectina.
- Gatiti 2 minute apoi luati deoparte si adaugati gelatina.
- Lasati la racit acoperit cu folie alimentara.
- Mixati galbenusurile pana devin spumoase.
- Intre timp, pregatiti un sirop de zahar gatind zaharul cu apa pana atinge 118C. La aceasta temperatura, turnati in fir subtire peste galbenusuri, mixand continuu.
- Continuati sa mixati pana se raceste bolul si obtineti un amestec pufos, deschis la culoare.
- Adaugati untul, tot o data, si mixati pana la omogenizare.
- Aromatizati cu vanilie.
- Combinati toate ingredientele intr-un robot de bucatarie si pulsati pana devine nisipos.
- Intindeti intr-o tava tapetata cu hartie de copt si coaceti la 170C pentru 12-15 minute.
- Lasati la racit.
- Asezati o foaie de blat pe un platou si insirpoati usor.
- Intindeti deasupra Ā½ din crema de unt, apoi asezati inca un blat urmat de sirop.
- Intindeti deasupra marmelada de zmeura si acoperiti cu ultimul blat, urmat de sirop apoi crema de unt.
- Dati la frigider 20 minute, apoi scoateti si taiati marginile pentru a nivela tortul.
- Taiati tortul pe jumatate apoi suprapuneti cele doua jumatati pentru a obtine o prajitura inalta. Daca ati facut straturile suficient de subtiri, nu va fi o problema sa faceti asta.
- Acoperiti cu un strat de streusel rosu.
- Dati la frigider cateva ore, apoi taiati in mono portii ā 12x3cm a fost cazul meu.
- Decorati cu zmeura proaspata.
Ā
buna, mi-ar placea tare mult sa incerc reteta ta, dar nu vreau sa folosesc glucoza si pectina… imi poti spune, te rog, cu ce sa le inlocuiesc? multumesc frumos
Hello…I’ve recently started following your Facebook page and just love it. I wondered if you could tell me what “apa rece” is. I’ve tried googling it, but it isn’t coming up with anything remotely related to cooking. This raspberry Opera cake looks amazing and I’m very keen to give it a go.
Buna seara! Doar ce am zarit postarea dumneavoastra si a fost de-ajuns sa trec aceasta prajitura pe lista mea. Arata incredibil de bine si sigur e la fel de gustoasa precum este de aspectuoasa!Felicitari! Pentru ca nu am gasit pectina NH decat online si in cantitate mult prea mare comparativ cu cele 5 g necesare (la un pret destule de piperat), v-as ruga sa imi spuneti cu ce ar putea fi inlocuita. Multumesc pentru reteta, sunteti o sursa de inspiratie nemaipomenita!
Gelfix ar fi o varianta.
Sau poate un gem de zmeura cumparat, gros ca o marmelada.
Multumesc mult!
Can this cake be frozen?
Yes
It looks really good and I would really like to try it š I am a pretty big sweet addict so from time to time I am searching for new cake types. Anyway, I am working in Pitesti area, Romania and I found a pretty good cake shop called Cofetaria Ribana Eve. I am going there at least once a week to eat cakes and cookies. They are also delivering so I was wondering if I can take your recipe to them in order to make it for me? Looking forward for your answer. Thank you!
I would love to make this for a party! Can I freeze the cake before putting on the streusel? Or is it ok to freeze with the strudel?
You can freeze with streusel as well.
Buna! Am incercat sa fac prajitura aceasta cu zmeura proaspata, insa mi-a iesit marmelada prea subtire. La 500g fructe, am pus 100ml apa si 10g gel fix, iar la final 5g gelatina (hidratata, apoi dizolvata). Dupa ce s-a racit, nu s-a gelifiat… š Am mai pus un plic de gelatina, dar tot nu s-a inchegat. Ai putea sa ne dai si o varianta pentru marmelada cu fructe proaspete? Multumesc anticipat!
Buna dimineata!! As vrea sa fac aceasta prajitura sub forma de tort de 20 cm. Ar trebui sa dublez cantitatile ca sa ma incadrez?sa fie suficient de inalt?
Multumesc mult si astept raspunsul dvs!!